Low voltage fence charger



H. E. WEBSTER 2,127,898

LOW VOLTAGE FENCE CHARGER Filed Feb. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l awe/whomHam r E. @661 a 2 I i v Wicca/14:41:;

Aug. 23, 1938. H. E. WEBSTER LOW VOLTAGE FENCE CHARGER Filed Feb. 6,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fer.

W Homer L. M65

Patented Aug. 23, 1938 I UNITEDVSTATES PATENT OFFICE LOW VOLTAGE FENCECHARGER Homer E. Webster, Nelllsvllle, Wis. Application February a,1936, Serial No. 62,708

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a low voltage fence charger, and it aims toprovide a novel construction adapted tointermittently charge a cattlefence with electricity say from 100 to 150 volts for a period of about1/1000 of a second once in every revolution of a rotating circuitbreaker, or about once in every second.

A prime object is to secure the maximum effect of keeping cattle fromfences by an electric shock with the minimum amount of current. It hasbeen found that one instant of electric shock is about as efiective as aperiodic series of smaller ones, or even a continuous charge, and ofcourse is far safer.

While the machine uses an electrically operated rotor in the presentembodiment, any approved type of apparatus to produce the above effectmay be used.

It is further aimed to provide a novel means whereby a secondary voltageand current may be regulated at will, as well as the speed of the rotor.

The more specific objects and advantages will in part be pointed out andotherwise become apparent from a consideration of the descriptionfollowing, taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustratingan operative embodiment.

In said drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus in front elevation, with a closureor front of the casing in open position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane ofline 3-3 of Figure Figure 4 is a diametric section taken on the line 4-4of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is a view of the part in electrical diagram.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or similar parts, all of the elements arecarried by and for-the most part mounted within a suitable casing inhaving a door or closure il hinged thereto as at H. The specificconnection of the various elements orparts will best be seen from thediagram of Figure 6. 50 Within the casing ill a suitable block H, ofinsulation, in combination with straps l4 and bolts I5, mount main coillaminations 16, such laminations, for instance, being of iron. Anintermediate bracket or strap i1 bolted as at II to the 'casing, has avertical post i! on which a rotor 20 is journaled, ball bearing means 2|preferably being interposed between the rotor and post and the rotorbeing removably secured in place by means of a nut 22 threaded to thepost. The rotor 20 preferably consists of lamlnations of cast 5 iron,and it will be noted that the ends of the laminations 10 extend upwardlyat opposite terminals and are disposed adjacent the periphery of therotor.

Electric current is adapted to be supplied from 10 any suitable source,as, for instance, a 6-volt storage battery as shown at 23, one terminalof which is connected to ground as at 24, and the other terminal ofwhich is connected to a conductor 25 with a primary induction coil 28,with which a 15 secondary induction coil 21 coacts. Coils 26 and 21 arewound about the laminations It. Means hereinafter described provides anormally open circuit through coil 26 and a constantly closed circuitthrough coil 21. A fuse 28 may be pro- 20 vided in the conductor 25.

A conductor 29 leads from the secondary windv ing 21 and is grounded tothe machine at 30, and the machine is grounded to the earth. A conductor34 leads from the primary winding 26 to 25 a resilient contact 33.Coacting with the contact 33 and normally disengaged therefrom is aresilient contact 35. A conductor 32, connected to both contacts isgrounded to the machine at 36, and includes a condenser 32. 0

Leading from the secondary winding 21 is a conductor 38 to a transformer39 from the lower voltage side of which a conductor 40 leads to thefence, as later described, having a resistor 4| therein and a lamp 42therein, grounded as at 5 43. From the higher voltage side of thetransformer 39, which is grounded as at 44, a conductor 45 leads througha lamp 46, grounded as at 41. Both of said lamps 42 and 46 are of theneon glow type, the lamp 42 being a secondary volt- 40 age indicator,and the lamp 46 being a secondary current indicator.

The metallic wire of a fence, such as a cattle fence, to be charged, assuggested at 48, is connected directly or by an intermediate conductor45 49 to a binding post 50 carried by the casing in.

The conductor 45 may essentially comprise an L-shaped metallic frame 5|to which a bolt 52 connects the aforesaid contacts 33 and 35, properlyinsulated as at 53 and normally out of con- 50 tact. Outward movement ofone of said contacts is limited by a block of insulation 54 carried bythe frame ii when the other contact tends to spring away from suchcontact that is adjustable to vary the distance or space between thecontact 55 adjacent end of the frame the cattle fence 48 [about once inevery to which end it Jls engaged by a disc ll slidably and adjustablypositioned on a bolt l extending from block I and held in adjustedposition by a nut 51 on the bolt.

One oi said contacts carries a projection ll thereon which is adapted tobe engaged by a metallic shoe ll, once during each revolution of therotor 20. Such contacts 59 may be tilted or moved to any desired anglewith respect to the rotor, as it is fastened to place removably andadjustabiy by the bolt 60. By the tilting or angularity of the shoe 58,the amount of secondary voltage current may be regulated.

' The frame ll may be shifted or adjusted to the shifting or adjustmentof a bolt 6i, which passes through a hole in the frame II and anelongated slot 02 in the wall of the casing l0, and which bolt engages,by screw threads, screw threads of discs or nuts 03, on opposite sidesof such wall, to rigidly hold the screw in diiferent adjusted positions.An expansive coil spring 64 surrounds the bolt between the innermostdisc 63 and the frame I I, a nut 0' being soldered to the frame II, andhence through the turning i may be moved inwardly or outwardly to varythe distance between the contacts I3 and 35, thereby facilitating theirjustment.

From a practical standpoint, the rotor is .adapted to rotate at about-i0to revolutions per minute, for example. It is adapted to charge withabout to volts for a period of about 1/1000 of a second. which chargeoccurs once in each revolution, which is second. From the closing of thecircuit through the lamp 4!, the glowing thereof will indicate thesecondary voltage, that is, the voltage applied on the fence, while,when the circuit is closed through the lamp 46, which is the secondarycurrent indicator lamp, the

. glow thereof will indicate how much current is leaving the machine forthe fence.

The primary or circuit through coil 28 is open except when shoe 59 holdsresilient contacts I! and I! together, thus allowing the current in suchprimary circuit to build up a magnetic field in the of the screw II, the

core ll. But when the resilient contacts ll and II are released, thesudden breaking of the pricondenser 32, insecondary coil 21,

latter bolt engaging tact, and a nut threaded on the latter boltoperable against the disc to adjust the position thereof. I

2. A device of the class described having a casing, a rotor therein,circuit closing contacts,

means to close said contacts through the oper-- ation of the rotor, aframe in said casing anchored at one end and mounting said contacts, abolt extending loosely through the casing having screw-threadedconnection with the frame operable to adjust the position of the frameto vary the spacing of the contacts, an expansive coil spring on thebolt engaging the casing and the frame, a block overlapping one of thecontacts, a bolt on the frame on which the block is mounted extendingbeyond the block, a disc slidable on the latter bolt engaging a free endof the other contact, a nut threaded on the later bolt operable againstthe disc to adjust the position thereof, a shoe on said rotor, means tosecure the shoe at different angles to the rotor, and a projection onone of the contacts engageable by the shoe.

HOMER E, WEBSTER.

